The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for treating perfluorocompunds, particularly to a method and an apparatus for treating perfluorocompounds, suitable for decomposition of perfluorocompounds discharged from a semiconductor production paint.
“Perfluorocompounds” is a general term for compounds of carbon and fluorine; carbon, hydrogen and fluorine; sulfur and fluorine; and nitrogen and fluorine, such as CF4, CHF3, C2F6, CH2F2, C3F8, C5F8, SF6, NF3, etc. which are all free from chlorine. Perfluorocompounds (which will be hereinafter referred to as “PFC”) are in a gaseous state and are used as an etching gas and a cleaning gas in the semiconductor production method. PFC has a long life (e.g. 10,000 years in the case of C2F6 and 3,200 years in the case of SF6) and is considered one of global warming gases with a high warming coefficient, which are subject to atmospheric emission control. Thus, various PFC-decomposing methods have been so far studied. One of the methods is disclosed in JP-A-11-70322 and JP-A-11-319485, where PFC is hydrolized in the presence of a catalyst, and the discharged gas containing the decomposition gases resulting from the PFC decomposition is washed with water (or an aqueous alkaline solution) and then discharged by a blower.
A higher reliability is required for apparatuses relating to the semiconductor production in a semiconductor production plant from the viewpoint of continuous operation of apparatuses for producing semiconductors. A higher reliability is also required for an apparatus for treating PFC contained in the discharged gas from etching apparatuses, because, if it is out of order, operation of several etching apparatuses connected thereto must be shut down.